Talisker 1969 - Gordon & MacPhail - 100 Proof

INFORMATION

Talisker 1969. Bottled by Gordon & MacPhail. 75cl. 26 2/3 Fl Ozs. 100 Proof.

Talisker’s 1969 vintage is as rare as hen’s teeth: The only two bottlings from this vintage listed on Whiskybase are Gordon & MacPhail’s 70-proof and 80-proof versions and this one isn’t either of them! This remarkable 100-proof (57.1%) black label ‘Eagle’ edition from Gordon & MacPhail would have been made with barley peated at the distillery’s own maltings, which were removed in 1972, and was bottled at the end of the 1970s, so the whisky was most likely 8-10 years old, akin to the official distillery bottlings of the day. 

DISTILLERY:Talisker

DISTILLERY STATUS:Working

Bottle ABV:100 Proof

Bottle SIZE:26 2/3 Fl Ozs

BOTTLER:Gordon & MacPhail

SPIRIT TYPE:Scotland

CASK TYPE:Single Malt

REGION:Island

DISTILLED YEAR:1969

Founded in 1830, Talisker’s medium-peated whisky perfectly expresses the rugged terrain of the distillery’s surroundings on the western Hebridean Isle of Skye, where it was the only legal distillery for many decades until the recent arrival of Torabhaig.

Talisker had been one of the stars of Scottish Malt Distillers’ portfolio for decades before the launch of the Classic Malts series in 1987 cemented the distillery’s popularity in the modern era. Early examples of Talisker’s single malt were bottled over a century ago by merchants including Berry Brothers and there were numerous official bottlings from around the 1940s onwards.

The old style Talisker's thrillingly savage spirit has been tamed this century, regrettably, but the extraordinary early cask strength Special Release Taliskers bottled between 2001-2010 still offer great value at auction.